Use Somebody Like You
by 0TwistedAngel0
Summary: A look into the past. Puck and Santana at their freshman year homecoming dance.


Fourteen-year old Santana Lopez sat at the voting booth table for Homecoming Court. The Cheerios were charging people to place their votes in for who they wanted as their Homecoming King and Queen. The Latina could really give two shits about that though. She was too busy trying to find a damn dress to wear for the homecoming dance! Not to mention the fact that she was in charge of the decorating committee. She had so much to stress about that she couldn't really be bothered with that homecoming stuff. Quinn and Brittany had been taking care of the earlier shift and now it was her turn (unfortunately). At least she didn't have to worry about Berry showing up and making a spectacle of herself since she had already done that a few hours before.

The Latina sighed as she frowned and glanced at her nails. Her legs were crossed as she glanced around for anybody to talk to or to intimidate into voting. (The more votes, the more money went into the Cheerios fund, the better their confetti canons were going to be.) Seeing nobody of consequence, Santana sighed and picked up her issue of_ Seventeen_ again when a shadow covered her light. She frowned and looked up ready to snap at the asshole in her way when she noticed who it was. Noah Puckerman. Santana sat up straighter and smirked a bit, raising her eyebrow at the (gorgeous) boy. "Yes, Puckerman?" she asked, nonchalantly.

Puck smirked. "I'm just here to do my part and vote for Homecoming King and Queen," he said as he leaned against the table.

Santana just smirked right back at him. She knew how Noah Puckerman liked to play. The more disinterested she seemed the more he would be determined to make her want him. (That wouldn't be a hard task to do; any girl who had been subjected to Puck's winning smile was putty in his hands.)

"Is that so?" Santana raised an eyebrow. She grabbed a pen and a blank ballot but paused to give Puck a look.

"What?" he asked.

"That'll be five dollars," she stated coolly.

"Seriously?" he asked. "Do I really have to pay? I mean, I'm kinda broke at the moment. Can't you just give me a freebie?" Puck leaned in closer, his infamous smirk planted on his lips.

Santana's train of thought derailed for a moment before she was able to focus again. Damn Puck for being so ridiculously good-looking. She cleared her throat and shrugged. "Sorry, Pucky. Rules are rules…."

"Rules were made to be broken though," Puck smirked as he leaned even closer.

Santana stared at him a moment before she stood up from her chair. She placed her hands on the table and she leaned closer to him. "Well, I _guess _I could bend the rules… just a bit," she started.

Puck grinned and started reaching for the voting ballot before Santana pulled it back again. He glanced up at her, his eyes filled with confusion. The brunette, however, just stared at him. For some reason, Puck really wanted to vote and he couldn't without money. What a predicament right? Well, she had a solution that would benefit her… er, them greatly.

"I've got a proposition for you," Santana said.

Puck raised an eyebrow and then sighed, straightening up and sticking his hands into his pockets. "What?"

"Take me to the homecoming dance and I'll pay for your vote… I'll even vote for the same couple you want to win, just to help you out," she smirked.

Puck rolled his eyes. "That's it? I know Puckasaurus is in high-demand but I wasn't even planning on going to the stupid homecoming dance," he stated.

The Latina shrugged, crossing her arms across her chest, trying to hide her disappointment. "Then I guess you're not gonna vote for the stupid homecoming court either."

"Ugh, fine! I'll take you… you know, Lopez, you're lucky you're smokin' hot," Puck said as he agreed. Santana frowned at him a little, disliking at how he was acting as if taking her to homecoming was a negative. Like he said, she was smokin' hot! He was lucky that she wanted him to take her at all! Disgruntled, the Latina shoved the ballot and pen into his hands and she grabbed her purse and took out a five-dollar bill and dropped it into the cash box. Puck handed her his ballot and she looked down at it to see whom he had voted for.

_Quinn Fabray and Finn Hudson._

"Pick me up at seven and don't be late," she told him casually as she folded his ballot and placed it inside the box before she grabbed her things and strutted off. Leaving a confused Noah Puckerman in her wake.

Santana sat at one of the tables at the homecoming dance. She was looking fucking gorgeous in her red halter dress and was she having the time of her life? No, she was sitting, sulking in a corner while Puck was God knows where. He had ditched her not long after they had arrived and Santana was livid beyond belief. Santana had seen him and Quinn disappear at some point of the dance which is why she covered for his ass when Finn came around asking if she had seen either of them.

She didn't know what was going on but she knew that the big puppy dog eyes that Quinn had been making in Puck's direction were not a good sign. Not for her and definitely not for Quinn since she had been working on getting Finn to ask her out. She kept an eye on Finn most of the night, making sure he didn't run into any trouble since that boy was absolutely clueless. Eventually she grew tired of it and she went on the hunt for her date.

Santana had found him outside the gym, smoking a cigarette and she all but knocked it out of his hand.

"The hell? What was that for?" Puck asked angrily.

"That was for being an asshole all-night. Come back inside, now."

Puck glared at Santana. He wasn't in the mood for her melodramatic issues. He had brought her to the dance, what more did she want from him? He was pissed off that Quinn had rejecting him repeatedly even though it was obvious she wanted a piece of the Puckerone. Instead, he had to listen to Finn drone on and on about how he didn't know what to do about Quinn. Finn was his best friend and all, but the boy really had no clue when it came to girls so he always came to Puck for advice. Normally, Puck didn't mind helping his bro out but the fact that he was helping Finn with the one girl who was successfully resisting him? That just pissed him off.

"Well? Get inside now, Puck," Santana ordered him as she grabbed his arm and dragged him inside. "You're being the worst date ever right now and you're going to fix it."

Puck muttered underneath his breath as the Latina dragged him back inside the gym. They walked in just in time to hear Quinn and Finn's names being called. Both of them looked disgustingly happy as they went up to the stage to collect their crowns. They were laughing and smiling and Puck swore for a split second that Quinn caught his gaze. They stared at each other a moment. He wasn't sure why… maybe because he wanted to be the one up there next to her? Shit if he knew…

"Puckerman…" Santana started. Puck sighed and glanced over at her only to see that she wasn't looking at him. He was sure he heard her call his name though. He studied Santana's profile as she watched Quinn and Finn in their happy moment. Finn had just swirled Quinn around, gaining a squeal from the blonde girl. Santana's heart ached with loneliness—not that she would admit it to anybody. She wanted that. She wanted somebody who would care for her in that way. Santana had more than enough guys idolizing her and her body but not many gave a shit about _her_.

Puck looked at her oddly. This was the first time all evening that she didn't have a scowl on her face and she had… she had a strange look in her eyes. Something he couldn't quite place but he thought it was familiar looking. As if it was something he understood but could never properly explain, even to himself. "Yeah?" he asked after a moment.

"_And now, it's time for the King and Queen to share a spotlight dance…"_

"Would you at least dance with me and _pretend_ like you weren't dragged in here kicking and screaming?" Santana asked as her chocolate brown eyes finally turned into his direction.

He hesitated; not sure what she wanted from him even though she had asked him very bluntly. Puck wrapped his arms around Santana's waist and pulled her close to his body. The music had started playing and it was that one song… Use Somebody was it? His little sister had been singing it non-stop for the past month so he was pretty sure that's what it was. Santana laid her head on his chest delicately and in that moment Puck realized just how tiny she was.

Santana was a small girl in her height and build. She wasn't really intimidating in size or anything like he was. Yet almost everyone was scared of her cos everyone knew Santana Lopez wasn't a girl to be messed with. Puck looked down at her face and saw that her eyes were closed but the look on her face wasn't very peaceful. Puck frowned a little. She obviously wasn't having a fun time at the dance… that was probably his fault. He kind of forgot sometimes that she was just like any other girl behind that though. She was sensitive and shit even though she didn't show it.

Kind of like him.

Puck's grip on her waist tightened and Santana glanced up curiously at him. Her eyes were filled with questions and he felt guilt tug at his heartstrings. Maybe he'd been a bit too harsh with Santana. She had only wanted to have a fun time at the dance with the one and only Puckzilla and he'd kind of trashed that for her. If anyone had done that to his little sister, he would've kicked their assess in. So, instead of answering the question in Santana's gaze, he just smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. Santana rolled her eyes but the corner of her mouth twitched upwards into a smile. It seemed that she understood in the world of Puckerman that was his was of saying sorry. She closed her eyes again and enjoyed the rest of her dance with McKinley's hottest and jerkiest (and maybe sweetest) guy.

_I hope it's gonna make you notice  
I hope it's gonna make you notice_

Someone like me, someone like me  
Someone like me, somebody

I'm ready now, I'm ready now  
I'm ready now, I'm ready now  
I'm ready now, I'm ready now  
I'm ready now

Someone like you, somebody  
Someone like you, somebody  
Someone like you, somebody


End file.
